Volkswagen Transporter - THe Complete Story

There are commercial vehicles designed to carry goods, vehicles intended to transport passengers, and vehicles that somehow become international symbols of freedom, adventure and the irresistible desire to spend a weekend sleeping in a field. The Volkswagen Transporter achieved all three, transforming itself from a modest German delivery van into one of the most recognisable and affectionately remembered machines in automotive history. Not bad for something that originally looked rather like a bread bin on wheels.

In Volkswagen Transporter – The Complete Story (1998), Laurence Meredith charts the remarkable development of Volkswagen’s versatile commercial vehicle, exploring the engineering, design and cultural significance of a machine that became far more than the sum of its mechanical components. Published by Crowood, this fascinating account celebrates the Transporter’s extraordinary ability to adapt to practically any occupation, from carrying industrial equipment to accommodating people determined to avoid conventional holiday arrangements.

The story begins in the years following the Second World War, when Volkswagen developed a practical commercial vehicle using mechanical principles familiar from the celebrated Beetle. The resulting Type 2 Transporter was an ingenious creation, offering generous carrying capacity, compact external dimensions and a rear-mounted engine whose distinctive sound became familiar across much of the civilised world.

Early split-screen models acquired enormous popularity among tradesmen, delivery companies and organisations requiring economical transport. Their simple construction and remarkable versatility made them ideal working vehicles, although the combination of modest engine power and substantial loads occasionally transformed climbing a hill into an exercise in mechanical determination.

Then came the camper van revolution. Suddenly, the humble Transporter was no longer merely a delivery vehicle but a mobile expression of personal freedom. Equipped with folding beds, cooking facilities and storage cupboards, it offered adventurous travellers the opportunity to explore the world while enjoying approximately the same domestic conveniences as a moderately well-equipped garden shed.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Volkswagen vans became inseparable from the counterculture movement, carrying surfers, musicians, students and assorted free spirits whose commitment to personal liberation was frequently accompanied by an equally strong commitment to avoiding conventional employment.

Meredith follows the Transporter’s evolution through successive generations, examining how Volkswagen refined its design, improved its practicality and eventually moved beyond the original rear-engined formula. Throughout these changes, the Transporter retained its reputation for versatility, reliability and extraordinary adaptability.

Naturally, classic examples now attract considerable enthusiasm from collectors, who happily spend enormous sums restoring vehicles originally intended to provide inexpensive working transport. The irony would probably have delighted Volkswagen’s early accountants.

Condition: Very Good. This is a previously owned copy dating from 1998, displaying only modest signs of age and handling. Unlike many surviving early Transporters, it requires no welding, replacement floor panels or extensive investigation into suspiciously concealed corrosion.

Published by Crowood in 1998. ISBN: 9781861261595.

Offered by Crappy Old Books, where we appreciate classic commercial vehicles, particularly when their history can be enjoyed without purchasing an expensive camper conversion or spending the weekend repairing a temperamental engine.

An excellent addition to any collection of Volkswagen literature, classic commercial vehicle history or camper van memorabilia. Particularly recommended for enthusiasts who understand that the Transporter’s greatest achievement was transforming a humble delivery van into an object of international affection, despite possessing all the aerodynamic sophistication of a wardrobe.

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